Providence, R.I.--The varied artistic talents of Providence College students and faculty members will be on display at "A Celebration of the Arts," on Thursday, April 30, in the Smith Center for the Arts on campus.

The celebration will showcase the College's commitment to the performing and visual arts. Proceeds will benefit the Department of Music, the Department of Art and Art History, and the Department of Theatre, Dance, and Film.

The night's events will begin at 5:30 p.m. with Mass in St. Dominic Chapel. At 6:30 p.m. in the Smith Center, there will be a cocktail reception, music, and a showcase of current students' art work.

The evening will continue at 7:00 p.m. in the Smith Center's Ryan Concert Hall with welcoming remarks by College President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. '80, followed by musical and dance performances by faculty members and students.

At the conclusion of the performances, a student art exhibition, "Sample: Celebrating Student Art," curated by Mary Tinti '00, will be presented in the Reilly Art Gallery.

Included in the celebration will be the presentation of The Reverend Philip A. Smith, O.P. Award. The award was established in 2002 by Paul and Michele Hoffman '02P & '06P, then co-chairs of the Parents for Providence Association. It is named in honor of the late Father Smith, who served as the College's 11th president from 1994-2005.

Individuals who receive the honor are those whose contributions have made a significant impact in furthering the mission of PC. Alumni, parents, students, friends of the College, faculty, and staff members are eligible.

Dr. Catherine E. Gordon-Seifert, associate professor of music and department chair, said she hopes the event will help the arts further enrich the life of the entire College community.

"The music department, for one, is working on being the best music department in any liberal arts institution in the Northeast," said Gordon-Seifert. "PC offers both music and music education degrees, which many music departments in liberal arts schools do not. We offer lessons on every conceivable instrument and make a wide variety of academic classes and ensembles available to our students."

Dr. Deborah J. Johnson, professor of art history, said during these trying economic times, funding the arts is of the utmost importance.

"When the arts seem expendable to some, it is crucial to remember that the arts remind us that we are human, and that the impulse to create transcendent expression is the very definition of humanity," she said.

Individual tickets to "A Celebration of the Arts" are $150. To register online, click here.

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